The Kirkus Prize is one of the richest literary awards in the world, with a prize of $50,000 bestowed annually to authors of fiction, nonfiction and young readers’ literature. It was created to celebrate the 81 years of discerning, thoughtful criticism Kirkus Reviews has contributed to both the publishing industry and readers at large. Books that earned the Kirkus Star with publication dates between November 1, 2014, and October 31, 2015 (see FAQ for exceptions), are automatically nominated for the 2015 Kirkus Prize, and the winners will be selected on October 15, 2015, by an esteemed panel composed of nationally respected writers and highly regarded booksellers, librarians and Kirkus critics.

KIRKUS REVIEW

A perceptive documentary portraying three Mexican-born children, Pedro and Francisco Tapia and Cinthya Guzman, and their community in Chula Vista, between San Diego and the border. All fluently bilingual (Cinthya is considering medical school), they describe learning English in an American school and how they use two languages in their daily lives, the advantages of living in the US (cleaner, better education), and reasons for frequent visits back to Tijuana (to see family and get cheaper medical treatment; it's also safer). Though Krull mentions problems faced by Latino immigrants (one of several sidebars discusses stereotypes) and describes their customs and culture, she emphasizes the stable, disciplined family life these three young people enjoy and what they have in common with other American kids. The lively, thoroughly detailed account is well served by the candid color photos on every spread. A fine resource. Also in the new A World of My Own series: City Within a City, about NYC's Chinatown (ISBN: 0-525-67437-3). Further reading; index. (Nonfiction. 8-12)

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